Monday, May 10, 2010

Rambler Spring Trip 2010 Part 2

So, day two comes on our trip FAR too early for me. The previous night saw me drink a lot of beer from the Fat Tire keg (which we found out later we brought into Utah illegally) as I had ridden an epic ride that day and, probably more importantly, Bobki showed up that evening with his nephew and Cletus. We were up until 1 am drinking beer and we woke up at 6:30'ish the next morning...ouch.

So, not feeling the greatest, we load up the troops and drive back out past where we started yesterday's ride for a ride called Baby Steps/Klondike Bluffs. This was part one of a two part ride, featuring Amasa Back in the afternoon. On the way to the trailhead, I feel something break loose inside of me. Uh oh, the Fat Tire is starting to work its magic. I can hold it I think to myself.

The ride rolled out on a two track, with Bobki and Cletus taking the lead. You can tell they didn't ride yesterday, those bastards were rolling on fresh legs! We got to the junction and started up a bit of nice slickrock, but I was having a hard time enjoying it. Hard to ride hungover and pinching your butt cheeks together so you don't shit yourself. Unfortunate too, as the trail was really cool. The slickrock actually dumped us onto real singletrack. For those of you that have ridden in Moab know that singletrack there is kinda like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster. You've heard it exists, but haven't ever really seen it.

Anyhow, we ride this really fun singletrack, mixed with a bit of two track and slickrock when we come to the junction of the Klondike Bluffs and we decide to ride the mile plus to the Arches National Park overlook. As we get to the trailhead for the Arches trail, there is a gate, a bike rack and about 40 bikes there (with some of those people standing around). We get off the bikes and I realize my shit has gone code red. I need to take a dump and I need to take it NOW. I get ass-paper from JT and tell the group I'll catch up. I sneak off into the scrub juniper, trying to walk uphill with my ass pinched shut. Ever tried to do that? Not easy, but I didn't want to soil my chamois. And speaking of chamois, it was attached to bib shorts, which made getting ready for the dump that much harder. Anyhow, I find the perfect spot, undress quickly and barely got squatted over before a cow pie came flying out. The wind is blowing and I almost lost my paper, then trying to find it, I almost step in my own dookie. Disaster adverted, I bury my duty and hoof over to the group. By the way, I end up taking 5 dumps on this day. I think my body was revolting against what I was doing and had done to it.

The ride down Klondike was fast and furious and mostly downhill. We get back to the car, have a few beers (well, I didn't) and back to camp for lunch and get ready to prep for the afternoon ride.

Under grey skies we set out for our afternoon ride on Amasa Back. This ride isn't too long, just a 5+ mile out on technical jeep trail and back on the same trail. During lunch JT drank about 7 beers. I don't know how the hell he was riding, but we take off and the first section is a gnarly waterfall type section. JT is BLAZING up to this and I am thinking that the liquid courage was going to cause him to hurt himself, then at the last second, he hits the brakes. Yep, this is going to be an interesting ride.

We climb up the ride at a decent pace and I am feeling about 100 times better than my morning ride, not 100 percent, but a LOT better. Bobki is riding his Yeti freeride bike that weighs about 40 pounds and is climbing up and cleaning everything. Unreal. The guy must be channeling his native billy goat spirits, 'cause he's climbing really well.

We get to the overlook and hang out for a few pictures and looks over the edge. I look back towards town and see there is something nasty rolling our way. We'd best get off this rock in quick manner. Thankfully it takes about an hour and a half to go up and only about 30 minutes to come down. We take off and are BLASTING down the trail. Cleatus was going way faster than everyone down, as usual. About 1/2 way down, Quigley flatted and we stopped and waited for him. YEA! We're learning that we don't leave anyone behind.

We finished the ride with very little issue and a lot of smiles. A couple of beers at the trailhead (including a Yuengling for me from Cleatus) and we pack up for the camp. One more day of great riding in the books and time to hit the Moab Brewery.

As was customary, we had one night out at the Moab Brewery. A lot of beer was consumed and a really REALLY good burger, though at that point they could have served us a dog turd on a bun and we would have thought it was manna from heaven. Our waitress really knew how to work the group for a tip as she was Johnny-on-the-spot (or Jane as it were) and was very charming. Even at the end she wanted to give us all hugs when Owen picked her up and took off with her. That crazy Aussie. By 10 pm, we were all back at camp and in bed. We had to get up early the next day for one more epic and I for sure wasn't going to drink all that beer again. I'm not down with trailside shits.